To interrupt and resume recording on a single video tape in a video tape recorder, a pause button is operated to temporarily stop the movement of the tape.
Most video tape recorders are adapted to record control signals on a tape together with video signals.
When the pause button is operated to interrupt the recording, capstans are rotated in the reverse direction to roll back the tape by a length corresponding to a predetermined number of control signals and the tape is then stopped there until the capstans are rotated in the forward direction due to release of the pause button. When the capstan transports the tape in the forward direction by the back-rolled length corresponding to the given number of control signals, the recorder resumes the recording mode.
The recorder takes the playback mode for a limited time corresponding to the given number of control signals after the pause button is released and before the recording mode is resumed, so that a head properly traces the recorded tracks on the tape (in order that a proper tracking of the head is established) within the limited time so that subsequently recorded control signals are in phase with the previously recorded control signals. Thus no turbulence nor discontinuity is produced in reproduced pictures regardless of the interruption in the signal recording.
Some video tape recorders, however, do not use control signals. In this case, some other method is required so that an interruption in signal recording on a single video tape never produces any turbulence or discontinuity in reproduced pictures.